I'm just about to leave on the Ghan, one of my homeland's (Australia) most famous trains and one of the greatest railroad journies of the world.
With that in mind, I wondered if we were going to use that idea, because I think it was part of this project.
I was thought that the Inner Planes would be a bit backward compared to the outer planes. I mean, the natives certainly wouldn't need that tech to live, plus tech would have a hard time surviving in such harsh environments. Visitors, on the other hand, will probably be completely decked out in tech.
the inner planes: last bastion of THE GOOD OLE DAYS! all those who would rather wield a blazing sword than a lazer gun call this kip home. from the outer planes settlers have come with their trains protected from the elements to try and tame the last wild fronteer. lazer wielding celestials can be seen fighting off efreets, riding magma elementals, from their cabs in the railway.
Like I said, Daylen: NO LASERS!
(except for the Fraal-I promised them so they'd stop probing my dog).
Remember that the genies have long-standing trading relations with the rest of the Multiverse, so they have some interest in keeping places like "The City of Brass" and "The Great Dismal Delve" open to such traffic.
Ulden: Perhaps we can take more than a few elements (pun intended) of life in the Inner Planes from Arab countries now facing modernization? Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Dubai, and Qatar are very good possible examples to use here. (No, I'm not even gonna try to bring religion into this... this is actually cultural here)
You could have the Inner Planes be essentially caught in 'the boundary point' where they are now modernizing, but attempting, even if futilely, to keep their traditions. The City of Brass and other Inner Planar metropoli that are well known to 'walkers are examples of the "modern" Inner Planes, but still have elements of the traditional scattered all over. You'll see genie-kind walking around in a business suit making deals and tapping on a PDA, and if you make the spot check, you notice a falchion strapped to their back/at their waist. Crimes may still have the traditional punishments, because the locals don't see any reason to change their opinions about them. Everywhere else, though, is almost certain to be a throwback to earlier days. There, though guns are now common, swords and melee implements have remained more common.
This makes it have a possible obvious difference from the Outer or Prime Planes in outlook as well as in physical nature. In the Prime, technology is probably now king; technology makes anyone capable of the feats wizards and clerics spend their lives learning how to do, so everyone uses it, and magic gets further and further marginalized with every passing age. In the Outer Planes, 'walkers have already begun the process of integrating technology and magic, and are nearly at a saturation point for both, making it unpredictable to know who is a luddite and who is a technophile, even among Primes. The Inner Planes, comparatively, are viewed somewhat as being the last bastion of 'pure' magic. There the old guard has concentrated, as living there requires magic, and thus ensures the survival of the old trades.
Bump.
I guess this is more a reply to the technology level discussion than the actual thread topic.
As a DM you'd need to make a judgement call about the technology level across the board - on prime worlds and on the inner, outer, and lower planes. If it is just D20 Modern tech, I don't think it could quite replace the powers of Mages and Clerics. Maybe if you used more of the Future Tech equipment. I don't think there's anything in there that could replicate a prismatic sphere though.
I'm not quite sure what the Elemental Express is? A train that connects the planes? Like a Planar Subway or Regional Rail, traveling through portals the way trains on Earth travel through tunnels? It's a cool idea. It'd have to have some method of combustion or locomotion that would work regardless of changing effects of gravity, magic, other laws of physics as it went from one plane to the next.
Make it interesting (how does it fit into the Inner Planes beyond its obvious purpose) without breaking the prevalent theme, and it'll be included.
By the way, I think the Inner Planes should be given some leeway with regards to the "keep it modern" theme I've been harping. While I don't want this to be a thumbs up to start including Efreet with sodding lasers attached to their heads, the Inner Planes require a much higher degree of techological aptitude for non-natives to survive. Perhaps the Fraal can be of assistance in this area.